Pandemic Times: Human Experiences and Responses
Humanities Center Seminar (HUMC 294)
Pandemic Times: Human Experiences and Responses is an interdisciplinary Humanities Center seminar course in which we discuss pandemics from exceptionally diverse academic approaches.

Week 1: Pandemic Critical Literacy
Class Discussion
What’s a pandemic and how do we begin to understand its multifaceted and comprehensive impacts? View class discussion.
Speakers
- Arietta Fleming-Davies, PhD | Department of Biology
- Daniel Sheehan, PhD | Department of Physics and Biophysics
- Alyson Ma, PhD | School of Business: Economics
- Andy Tirrell, PhD, JD | Department of Political Science and International Relations
- Channon Miller, PhD | Department of History
Week 2: Human Responses
Class Discussion
How do humans behave and respond to times of crisis and shock? View class discussion.
Speakers
- Mary Barger, PhD, MPH, CNM, RN | Hanh School of Nursing and Health Science
- Casey B. K. Dominguez, PhD | Department of Political Science and International Relations
- Justine Rapp Farrell, PhD | School of Business: Marketing
- Rebekah Wanic, PhD | Department of Psychological Sciences
Week 3: Morality and Mortality
Class Discussion
How have humans morally, ethically and artistically grappled with the increased awareness of mortality during pandemics--especially as our current age often obscures death from our daily lives? View class discussion.
Speakers
- Brittany Asaro, PhD | Department of Languages, Cultures and Literatures: Italian
- Terry Bird, PhD | Department of Biology
- Jamall Calloway, PhD | Department of Theology and Religious Studies
- Mike Kelly, PhD | Department of Philosophy
Week 4: Social Justice and Care
Class Discussion
How does the pandemic call us to consider how we protect the sick and vulnerable during a collective challenge? View class discussion.
Speakers
- Corey Barnes, PhD | Department of Philosophy
- Eileen Fry-Bowers, PhD, JD, RN, CPNP-PC | Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science
- Valerie Hohman, PhD | Department of Biology
- David Shirk, PhD | Department of Political Science and International Relations
Week 5: Dystopian Contagion Innovation
Class Discussion
How do pandemic times bring to light the interconnected nature and collective responsibilities of global citizenship? View class discussion.
Speakers
- Amanda Petersen, PhD | Department of Languages, Cultures and Literatures: Spanish
- Kate DeConinck, PhD | Department of Theology and Religious Studies
- Vidya Nadkarni, PhD | Department of Political Science and International Relations
- Caroline Baillie, PhD | Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering
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